I read multiple different journal entries about the Appalachian Trail and wanted to highlight one in particular, Mr. Lee's 2014 journal on the American Discovery Trail. Since we have been covering the Appalachian trail and Camino de Santiago, this one caught my eye because I wanted to learn about trails we haven't necessarily focused on yet. Throughout his journals, he reveals: 1.) Today's Miles; 2.) Destination; 3.) Starting location; and 4.) Trip Miles. On Friday, September 19, Mr. Lee walked a total of 27.40 miles where he began at Petaluma, California. Completing his day of walking on September 19 would wrap up his trip in a total of 3397.17 miles, where he walked across America, referring to it as the "American Discovery Trail".
Mr. Lee becomes overwhelmed with emotion as he nears the end of his journey. Two miles from his destination he says, "I am amused at their youthful impatience. I don't even try to explain the complexity of my current emotions. It will be a while before I sort them out myself." This shows that his journey and the sacredness of different places he has encountered while getting to his destination may take time for reflection and realization. Sometimes we don't realize the significance of an encounter with a place until we have left it, reflecting on our emotions and "sorting them out". Mr. Lee goes into depth about the friendly relations he made while on the trail, and without them, it would have been hard to remain motivated in his journey. Completing his journey was overwhelming and his last day to walk, marking his record of the longest miles per day on his journey, would be a life-changing experience.
Mr. Lee. (2014). American Discovery Trail. Published by Trailjournals LLC. Retrieved from http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=474797
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